Plot
The basis of OUAR has always been character-driven storytelling. Our plots have formed through the interactions of both canon and original characters from the minds of dozens of writers posting nearly every day since the board's opening on November 27, 2011. Every character, whether canon or original, has been made unique to OUAR, with each writer bringing their own creative talent to the role. Our board emphasizes Character over Plot, and our writers believe that the best way to form a plot is through allowing characters to grow and change organically based on their interactions with others. Our plot has formed around this character-driven storytelling, and differs greatly from the events of the show. The main plot of OUAR can be followed in 'seasons', with seasons lasting from one Halloween to the next. Season One October, 2011 - October, 2012 For twenty-eight years, Storybrooke's residents who were under the curse lived their day to day lives without realizing how much time passed, and never having any significant changes in their lives. While they did not repeat the same day over and over, the curse kept them in a perpetual fog. Residents may have thought about leaving town or quitting their dead end job or starting up a conversation with the cute stranger in the corner, but simply never got around to it. Meetings weren't significant, friendships didn't progress, promotions didn't happen, and all the while cursed individuals were stuck longing for better times, but never able to do anything to get them. The arrival of Emma Swan in Storybrooke broke this endless fog on the town, and actions started to have significance. Emma's presence and her own actions in town started a chain reaction of people deciding to make changes for themselves, such as Ashley Boyd deciding she wanted to keep her baby. Time started moving again, and the residents were able to start making choices, for better or worse. Memories in Storybrooke came back individually, with Graham Humbert's being the first. Memories were usually tied to a significant object from the Fairytale World (e.g. Mary Margaret Blanchard's peridot ring), or to a traumatic event (e.g. Graham Humbert remembering his abuse by Regina). More people started to remember as time went on, with each person having a hand in breaking a small piece of the curse by gaining back their own memories. Emma Swan began to slowly believe in Henry's fairytale ideas. She finally decided fully that she believed on July 4th at a picnic with her fiance Jefferson Powers, David Nolan (who had recently regained his memories), and Mary Margaret Blanchard (who regained her memories on this picnic). With the curse slowly breaking around her, Regina Mills decided to use the 'security' that she had made a deal with Rumplestiltskin for, in case of emergency: A bottle that would bring magic to Storybrooke. Season Two October, 2012 - October 2013 When magic was brought to Storybrooke, the action had unforseen consequences. The God of Darkness, Chernabog, was released from his binding and took human form in the town. Chernabog, calling himself Dante Casimir, wanted to increase the effectiveness of his dark servants (people like Regina, and Rumplestiltskin's Dagger Curse). He thought that the dark magic wielders had become complacent, and with their magic now restored, encouraged them to fight back harder against Light. Part of this plan of his involved giving stronger power to the Dagger Curse inhabiting Mr. Gold. The curse had a sentience of its own and became a voice named Sicarius in Gold's head. He had his magic restored, but was under the influence of the curse, which had originally been a part of Chernabog trapped in dagger form by Merlin. Gold fought against the curse's influence as long as he could, but was eventually overcome. He had himself locked up in Storybrooke's asylum while Emma Swan worked at finding a way to cure him of the curse without his death. Emma found where the dagger was hidden in Storybrooke and attempted to retrieve it, but was stopped when Sicarius, now in full control of Mr Gold, escaped from the asylum. The two fought, and Emma was eventually overcome. Before Sicarius could kill her, Gold made a final stand against the curse in his head and fought it off long enough for Emma to take the dagger and stab him in the heart. Since Emma Swan was the Light One, the opposing force to the Dark One, the dagger curse was unable to take her as host, and the curse died along with Mr. Gold. Not wanting to leave Gold to that fate, Emma made a deal with Dante that if she could find a way to bring Gold back, Dante would release his ownership of Gold's soul, but in exchange he would claim Emma's. Emma was able to find the Holy Grail, and with it, Gold was revived, now without his magic or curse. On Halloween that year, Dante called together all the dark magic users along with Emma Swan. Emma was put into a cursed sleep and placed in Snow White's glass coffin. Dante then used his powers, plus those of all the dark magic users in attendance, to recreate the Fairytale World that had been destroyed. He then sent Emma Swan's casket away, hiding it in an ice cave so she couldn't be found and woken. Season Three October 31, 2013 - October 30, 2014 (From the creation of NFTL, Kingdom Leadership shakeups, SleepingCurse!Emma and Dark!Emma, leading up to Emma's ideas of Neutral Magic) Season Four October 31, 2014 - Current (Neutral Magic plots, Binding plots, and beyond) Category:Lore